Welcome to a very special edition of First Touches, where Minnesota is set for a very first matchup against Inter Miami CF and a first trip to Miami. Tune in for the similarities between the two teams, and some long-standing connections between their players.

Stats and Notes

• These two teams have never played each other before in any competition.
• Miami currently sits 10th in the Eastern Conference, and has the worst goal difference of any Eastern Conference team at -9.
• Minnesota, who sits equal with Miami on 18 points, has slipped to 11th in the Western Conference after their loss to New England on Sunday; the two teams have identical records of 5-7-3 overall.
• Miami has secured 14 of their 18 total points at DRV PNK Stadium this season; their only two home losses came early in the season, with the most recent loss coming on April 2. 
• On Sunday, Miami’s 2-0 loss to Atlanta snapped a four-game unbeaten streak. In two previous situations this season, Miami has been unable to avoid losing at least one further consecutive game. 
• While Miami still holds a -9 goal difference on the season, they actually have a +1 goal difference in their last ten matches, starting after they snapped their season-opening stretch of just one point over their first five games.
• Miami is the second-lowest scoring team in MLS, with just 15 goals on the season. They’ve scored more than two goals just once all year. 
• Minnesota’s attack is just one goal better, tied third-lowest in the league with 16 goals. The Loons have scored more than one goal just once in their last seven league games.
• Despite having the tied-for-fifth-best scoring defense in MLS with 17 goals, Minnesota has not kept a clean sheet in the league since April 23 (seven matches).
• Minnesota’s 2-1 loss to New England featured the lowest xGA (0.4) that the defense has allowed all season long.
• Miami’s best goalscorer on the season has been 21-year-old Leo Campana, with seven strikes to his name. However, Campana has scored just two goals in his last seven league games, in addition to scoreless outings in the U.S. Open Cup and on international duty with Ecuador.

Minnesota Connections

• Captain Wil Trapp played for Miami in their inaugural season in MLS (2020) before signing with Minnesota to start the 2021 season.
• Robert Taylor and Robin Lod both appeared in Finland’s pair of UEFA Nations League games against Bosnia & Herzegovina earlier this month. Taylor and Lod first appeared together for Finland in September 2018.
• Damion Lowe and Kemar Lawrence both started for Jamaica during their 2022 World Cup qualification campaign, most recently in January against Mexico. Lowe and Lawrence have been fixtures of the Jamaican backline since the 2017 Gold Cup.
• Damion Lowe played for Minnesota United in 2016 on loan from the Seattle Sounders. This was when the club was in the North American Soccer League.
• Tyler Miller and Damion Lowe were teammates on the Seattle Sounders roster in 2016. 
• Joevin Jones and Robin Lod both played for HJK in Finland in 2014.

MATCH INFO

Inter Miami CF vs. MNUFC
DRV PNK Stadium | Miami, FL
06.25.22 | MLS Game No. 16
7:00 pm CT (MLS LIVE on ESPN+, Bally Sports North, The CW-Twin Cities, 1500 ESPN)